3.5 stars!

South Asian fantasy is probably going to be the death of me. Just look at this cover!

Most fantasy novels I’ve read have always had roots in other parts of the world — from spells cast in Latin, to made up languages — but not many that have taken the richness of South Asian culture, and formed a high fantasy universe around it. They are definitely coming up in popularity though, and I’m all the more excited for it! (Have I mentioned the cover, yet?)

As a South Asian reader, I was hesitant to pick these books up because it is not an OwnVoices novel. However, Dana Swift's respect for South Asian culture shines through these novels. Although not wholly accurate (and this may be because Wickery is not South Asia, only inspired by it), none of it felt to me like it was judgement against South Asian culture, which made me feel better about reading this.

The first book in this series left us in the aftermath of an explosion that makes Adraa Belwar answerable to her whole country for the lives taken. This book follows Adraa, Jatin and their friends as they work to undo the corrupted magic bleeding through Wickery.

The wrongly-imprisoned theme in fantasy novels just does something to me, and this book revolved around it. Just like the first book, the political intrigue follows us into the trials where Adraa is sentenced, into Jatin’s fearless maneuvers to rescue her, and into the future of Wickery. I enjoyed seeing the plot twists, and how the author uses every single element at her disposal to twist it into a new farce — it gives a new meaning to being two-faced!

Most of the characters felt more relatable in this sequel, because you could see the different motivations tugging at them, and the choices they had to make to follow a single path. By the end, all the paths lead back to the same point at the apex of the book, where it all comes to a head, but that’s not to say that they don’t face the consequences of each choice along the way.

Adraa was beyond strong in this. The first book had an off-beat mention of mind-casting, but this book took it and gave her a new level that had nothing to do with her Touch. Combined with the allies she met on the way, and her refusal to serve the throne above the people, her strength is the firelight of this novel.

Jatin was as steadfast as always, completely sure in his love for Adraa. Although he is now pushed into power, and that should lead to a certain amount of development, I felt that it fell flat for Jatin. Most of his choices reverberated with only Adraa’s name — which may have been the point, but we don’t get to see him grow confident into his role as Maharaja of Naupure. It just seems to pop up that he can now alter his tone depending on his audience, and he can be Maharaja because he has the strength and willpower, but we don't see him develop much of that. Given that we do get his POV, I had higher hopes for this!

Similarly, many of the fight scenes felt very short and cut-off, lacking details that would enhance each element. I found myself struggling to follow all the colors, fortes and magic spells — especially because every other chapter was a new battle. It all blurred into another, and the plot was very fast paced. If the scenes were slowed down with a few more fillers, this speed may have worked to the author's advantage in the sense that time is not on their side and they have to find the root of the problem as soon as possible.

Conversely, established relationships tend to slow the romantic pace down. Jatin and Adraa were very, very cute throughout this novel, and their relationship stayed true to what we know of them. However, it did feel rather stagnant, which may be because of the quick ending. Plot-wise, I can't think of many loose strings, but character-wise, there are quite a few. Although appropriate, I do find myself wishing that we’d gotten to see at least an epilogue further.

This book was a scintillating read, and it was a good YA fantasy series for the weekend!

4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5)

I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

*Spoilers for book one ahead*

After saving her kingdom, Adraa is falsely accused of causing all of the destruction. Found guilty of her crimes, she is sentenced to life in the Dome, Belwar's highest-level prison. Meanwhile, Jatin has been trying (and failing) at proposing. Things get even more complicated when Adraa is thrown in prison. Determined to get her back, Jatin begins plotting a dangerous rescue mission.

I think I'm in the minority, but I actually liked this sequel more than book 1! It had a lot of action and high stakes, so I was very intrigued by the story!

I absolutely adore Adraa and Jatin's relationship! They really balance each other out. Their scenes together tend to be my favorites!

I also want to point out that this book, like the first, has chapter titles! These days, most books have done away with chapter titles. I miss seeing them, so I was glad that book 2 still had them!

As I already said, this book was action-packed! However, there were a few things that bothered me. I hate the trope where the lovers are separated for most of the book! That's a personal preference, but I wish Adraa and Jatin had more time together. There was also a very fleeting and pointless love triangle (if it can even be called that...) which was just unnecessary.

The ending of this book was satisfying and conclusive enough to keep me happy, but it felt a little rushed and abrupt. I'm not sure if there will be a book three, but I feel like I need a little more closure.

Overall, this book was enjoyable and I had a hard time putting it down! I had a few issues with it, but I still liked it! Fans of the first book should give this one a shot! I'd recommend this series to YA fantasy romance fans who enjoy the arranged marriage trope and lots of action/magical battles.

Content: violence, torture, bloodletting, no sex scenes but some kissing, no actual swearing outside of fictional swear words, death

Bound by Firelight is a fine sequel to Cast in Firelight—a fantasy novel telling the story of Adraa and Jatin—heirs to the thrones of Belwar and Naupure who became intertwined in this lush world of politics and magic.
I really liked Adraa and Jatin's journey in the first book, but frankly, this book didn't feel fulfilling and I largely found myself bored and unconvinced. I was rooting for them in the first book and it was fulfilling to see their tension as well as their feelings play out, but in this book my excitement over the couple slowly trickled down. I wasn't particularly a fan of how Jatin was written, as his entire journey throughout the book felt too centered on Adraa—he didn't go through any sort of significant character development and we didn't see much motion in his arc, while Adraa was mostly, carrying the story on her back. I did like her narrative, it was nice and a breath of fresh air after Jatin's stagnant chapters. A lot of the choices and events, especially toward the end felt a little too convenient and lucky and required some suspension of disbelief on my part to fully enjoy the story.
I did enjoy the prose mostly, although it definitely has its very glaring flaws. I liked how fast-paced and easy to read it was, even when there were so many events unraveling all at once. At times the prose felt repetitive and stagnant, but I think this more so a matter of personal preference. One thing that definitely bugged me in terms of the technical aspects of the novel was how similar the style of writing in both POVs was. At times I had to go back to figure out whose POV we were following because the voices of both characters were too similar.
I think this was an okay duology and I definitely enjoyed many parts of it, it just wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Even so, I'm excited to see what Dana Swift will do next!

Bound by Firelight was a fun, action packed read that just kept building throughout the book. Unfortunately this did lead to a rather quick and abrupt ending. It feels like the series was originally plotted out to be a trilogy but the publisher wouldn’t greenlight a third book so the author gave us a quick ending that wrapped up a lot of the storylines but left some big ones still open in the hopes they can get a third book ok’d. It was enough of an ending to be mostly satisfied but not completely. kind of like taking a bite of cake only to have the rest of your slice get taken away. Yah you got cake, but you wanted more. That’s what this ending feels like. Not only does it feel rushed but I like happy endings, not this tipetoe around it and just alude to a happy ending we got. The last quarter or so of the book feels like it should have been part of a third book with a more fleshed out ending.

Our main characters, Adraa and Jatin spend most of the book apart. One of the best parts of the first book was their banter and interactions between them that this book lacks. Unfortunately this lead to Jatin not having much to do other than obsess on how he would free Adraa leaving him with very little character growth. You would think this would mean there wasn’t much romance in the book and you would be right. What was there wasn’t much, but it was there and in the weirdest way possible with a extremely awkward and forced feeling love triangle that comes out of nowhere. It almost feels like it was thown in just to try and give Jatin a little more on the page. Adraa on the other hand is great throughout the book. She learns to embrace who she is and the fact that she doesn’t have to be perfect, to be enough.

It may sound like I didn’t like the book but I did. Like the the first book it wasn’t great and won’t be topping any charts for me, but it was an enjoyable and fun read with great action and likable characters. I just wish it was more. More banter, more romance, more story, and mostly more ending.

This sequel was everything I wanted an so much more! I loved seeing Adraa and Jatin grow during this book. This book has lots of action and romance. I fell in love with this world all over again.

Bound by Firelight definitely needs to be on everyone’s TBR. It doesn’t suffer the second book syndrome that so many sequels seem to have. If anything I think I liked this one better than Cast in Firelight. It reads like a Summer blockbuster and I couldn’t read fast enough to see what happened next.

Bound by Firelight sees Adraa being falsely accused of trying to destroy her county after the events of Cast in Firelight. She stands trial and is found guilty and thrown in prison. Jatin then gathers their friends to figure out a way to get her out.

This book is perfect for fans of the Witchlands series and Six of Crows. If you love unique magic and daring rescues, then this book is for you. I know this was planned as a duology but the way it ended left it open for more. I really hope the author revisits this world again, because I’m not ready to let go.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read this. Honestly it was refreshing to read a book in which the main couple’s relationship is never questioned or faltering for the entire book. I never once wondered if They were going to be together or if they were in love. I did wish some of the side characters had been developed a bit more. But all in all this duology was action packed and full of love and adventure. I loved it’

Thank you for kicking off my new year of reading with this swoon worthy, action packed, magical read! I loved the first book but this book was the cherry on top. The relationship and dialog between Adraa and Jatin reminded me so much of my husband and myself. Adraa had a lot of growth in book one but in this book she is forced to push herself beyond anything she ever would have thought possible. Stripped of her voice and locked away where she can not be found. Adraa has to learn to adapt and find a strength she never thought she had. In a final war of good and bad will Adraa and Jatin be able to save their kingdoms and everyone they love. You will not want to miss this magical duology.

3.5/5 stars. To be released January 2022.

Bound in Firelight is the conclusion to a duology that started with Cast in Firelight. It picks up where the first book ended, with everyone suspecting Adraa is guilty of the eruption that damaged Belwar. For me, Bound to Firelight has some peaks and lulls in pacing but is completely filled with action. The magic system is front and center in this book and bigger than ever. Character growth and acceptance is an important factor (for Adraa, mostly). The book is told from both Adraa and Jatin's perspectives as both face different challenges. The banter and dialogue between the characters provides comic relief for a much darker story. If you read Cast in Firelight, definitely pick up this one!

I read CAST IN FIRELIGHT back in July 2021 and was entertained by Adraa and Jatin's adventures, so I figured my experience with BOUND BY FIRELIGHT would be similar--and I wanted to know what would happen to them.

Ultimately, yes, I would recommend CAST IN FIRELIGHT and BOUND BY FIRELIGHT to others, but with reservations. It is important for readers to read stories about different types of characters, cultures, etc., but it must be noted that Dana Swift is a white author (which she addresses in her author's note in CAST IN FIRELIGHT). While she has done her research and treats the Indian characters, culture, etc. respectfully, I personally feel like it would be irresponsible to recommend this text without also recommending a YA fantasy by an author of Indian descent. Thus, if/when I recommend the duology to students and/or other readers, I will also recommend, for example, THE IVORY KEY by Akshaya Raman or THE DREAM RUNNERS by Shveta Thakrar.

BOUND BY FIRELIGHT pretty much starts where CAST IN FIRELIGHT left off. Adraa is put on trial and everything that could go wrong seems to go wrong. However, the story unfolds quite predictably--but not unpleasantly so. There are some little surprises along the way to keep things interesting. Everything ties up together nicely at the end. Overall, I think the first book is slightly better written, but BOUND BY FIRELIGHT is still a fun read.

This book captured my attention from start to finish! I was a little worried that the sequel wouldn’t live up to Cast in Firelight but holy crap was I wrong. The introduction of new characters added tension in some areas and growth in others. I loved all of the twists in the plot as they always kept me guessing and I ended up being surprised often. I legit gasped when I read that Adraa had her voice stolen from her. This plot twist, however, enabled her to grow so much more.

Even though Jatin and Adraa were separated for most of the book, it didn’t diminish the romantic aspect at all. As the old saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Or in this book, absence makes Jatin more desperate to propose. Additionally, their time apart allowed for greater individual development. But that ending—it was *chef’s kiss*

A very solid duology closer with room for a new series (if we don't get a new series starring whasserface who knows Jatin from school I will be a tad surprised). I liked the first one enough to actually read the second (a verrrrrrrrrrrry rare occurrence) and while I thought the villain was underdeveloped, there was still enough fun for me to really like the book. As with the first book, the main characters are crazy likable and the worldbuilding is super engaging. And doesn't love a good prison break/heist? If you liked Cast in Firelight, you shouldn't miss this one. 4 stars - I really liked it!

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacore Press for the eARC which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. Bound by Firelight is available on 18 January

BOUND BY FIRELIGHT was an ultimately a fitting and satisfying ending to the duology that began in CAST IN FIRELIGHT. I will say it up front that I enjoyed book 1 more, but this wasn't a bad book by any means. Swift's writing remains really good and I will always enjoy reading her books. This book is not one of those fast movers with twist after twist after twist, but is much more character driven. We see Adraa and Jatin and their relationship stretched in a ways that will test everything they believe in and fight for as Adraa must deal with the aftermath of what happened in Belwar at the end of book 1 as she is sent to the infamous Dome prison. Adraa's character development in particular stands out as the biggest strength in this book as she is robbed of her ability to do magic and must overcome physical, mental and emotional challenges she faces as she languishes in prison. I loved seeing more depth to her character in this one and the fortitude she gains as a result. Her relationship with Jatin is very refreshing and nice to read as well, and I loved meeting and seeing more colorful side characters. All of the loose ends at the end of book 1 are tied up nicely in book 2, and this stands as a solid sophmore novel. I will say that the slow movement plot wise was a little bit of a challenge for me as a reader and is a reason for the rating not being bumped to a 4. BOUND BY FIRELIGHT is a story about the truths that define us and how those are tested when we are under fire, and how they can change everything.

Absolutely loved this beautiful finale from Dana Swift.

Bound by Firelight starts off immediately after the horrific events at the end of book one. The themes are darker this book as Adraa faces false accusations, guilt, imprisonment, and torture. She uncovers a deadly secret about the drugs being created and spread in her kingdom, and reaches down to find her inner strength in a beautiful way.

Her friends are back and fighting to help her- and even though the times that Adraa and Jatin are together are short, they make up for it by showing a beautiful romance that has grown since book one. I loved all the friends and family in the books, and the addition of Friya was frustrating but she eventually grew on me.

I loved this YA fantasy series so much, and this was a wonderful ending with a good amount of closure, but also left the world open to imagine what happened next.

Bound by Firelight picks up following the events in Cast in Firelight and how our two main characters are trying to grasp control. I already loved Aadra and Jatin, but I fell in love with them all over again, their banter is my favorite.

I was fully prepared for this to be a trilogy, but this was wrapped up perfectly! Once again, the magic, world building and characters are fabulously written.
I want to be vague here, because I don't want to give away anything.

Dana did a beautiful job with her debut duology, I cannot recommend these books enough. They are definitely in my top reads.

I am very excited to see what Dana throws our way next!

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence

Book two of the Wickery series picks up immediately after the major event that happened in the first book. Adraa is pegged as an enemy and imprisoned. The amazing world building and magic is back. Jatin and the crew are going around town reminding me of the Avengers. It was nice to see the old crew back.

The story is told between Adraa and Jatin’s perspectives but I think the one with more of a journey and lots of growth is Adraa because she is separated from the group and thrown in prison. She faces many challenges and fights, literally – to the death. We see Adraa out of her comfort zone fighting in prison without her magic and we see her try to relearn how to make magic with some help.

What I found fun about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s friends helping them on their missions and becoming a group of superheroes. They are back in this sequel, doing what they do best!

I think one thing I missed about the first book was Adraa and Jatin’s enemies to lovers romance because of course, now they are together with no qualms about their love for one another. And they were kept apart for most of the story so I did miss them interacting with one another.

FINAL THOUGHTS::
Why you should read it:

*a solid duology with lots of magic and romance (mostly in book one)
*Adraa goes through a lot of challenges and growth
*magic wielding superheroes and lots of action

Why you might not want to read it:

*not a lot of romance
*couple was spent apart for most of the book

My Thoughts:

Although not my favorite between the two books in this duology because I miss all the romance, I think this was a solid conclusion to this series. I enjoyed all the world building, magic and camaraderie between Jatin and his friends. Adraa goes through a lot in this sequel shows but she rises to the challenge which is very inspiring.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5/5 stars.

Look, I liked the first one but I wasn't thrilled about it...but when I saw the ARC I knew I needed to request it just because I love Adraa and Jatin's banter (also, the chapter titles are once again gold in this).

Plot wise? I liked this a lot more than the first one. There is intense character development for Adraa and Jatin, and most of it is due to the fact they spend a large majority of the book away from each other. Adraa's storyline is heartbreaking but powerful, and I can see it resonating for others who go through intense trauma.

I think in trying to tie up storylines, there were still a lot that I was just ?!?! about, and I definitely feel like there was enough left unresolved that indicates more books in the series...but I'm not sure how it'll work with how it left Adraa and Jatin (don't worry, it's a happy ending).

The magic is still one of my favorites I've read in a fantasy...besides how it's named since it's literally the elements backwards (which pains me).

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Random House Children's and Delacorte Press, for the chance to read and review this book in exchange of an honest review.

After the devastating magical eruption that devasted the kingdom of Belwar, royal heir Adraa is falsely accused and arrested. Sent to the Dome, the impenetrable fortress filled with criminal herself put there, Adraa will have to fight to prove her innocence and save her own life.
On the other side, Jatin, the royal heir of Naupure and Adraa's betrothed is willing to do anything to save Adraa, helped by friends and unexpected allies. But when Jatin and Adraa discover there's a plan to destroy their kingdom, they will have to be ready for anything.

Bound by firelight starts right after the thrilling ending of Cast in firelight, in a Belwar where people are seeing Adraa as a monster, rioting and rallying against the royal family and where Vencrin and Bloodlurst are still major problems. The author expands the universe with the Dome's introduction, a prison where the divide and power imbalances are strongly present and where Adraa finds herself in a complicated situation. Alone and without allies, or so she thought, Adraa is forced to do anything in her power to adapt to this new situation, trying to understand what happened at her trial and what is happening in this facility, between lies and manipulations, fights and tortures, deaths and unexpected allies.
Jatin finds himself without his partner and helped by Prisha, Riya, Hiren and Kalyan and by an ex classmate they start to concoct a plan to help Adraa escape from the prison, but nothing is what it seems and there's more to the eye.

The story is told by two POVs, Adraa's and Jatin's and I loved reading this book, because the author talked about brilliantly, about self-doubts, traumas, guilt, fears and what it means to have a voice, or not have one, to fight back, to be oneself and face the world, but also the importance of having a partner, to let others in and trusting them. One of the most intense and lovely relationshis in this book is the one between Adraa and Jatin, who came a long way since the first book. Rivals, betrothed, allies, partners, I love their chemistry and how much they trust, help and support one other. Their relationship shines even more in this sequel, because, even among self-doubts about ruling countries and self-worths, they know they love each other and that their love is strong and it can face everything and that's truly beautiful.

Like in the first book, the author talks about addiction, torture and Bloodlurst, power imbalances and unfairness, mainly in the Dome as setting, a new and scary universe where the hierarchy is strong and built on violence and intimidation and where Adraa has to move and fight back.
I loved reading about the interactions between characters, new and old ones, in a romantical way or in parents/children or siblings one and I was really happy to see how the author addressed jealousy, love, family problems and doubts in this book.
The characters' growth is parallel to their fights against usurpers, violence, lies and manipulations and I really admire both Adraa and Jatin as characters.

I was really happy to be able to read this book and I think it's a brilliant sequel and a wonderful way to end this duology. Between war, lies, violence, magic and self affirmation, this book is absolutely amazing. I loved the banter and the sweet moments, the intense and wild ride, the action and fights and I was so in love with everything. The ending is an open and hopeful one and I truly appreciated it, because it shows how much Adraa and Jatin have done and are still doing for their kingdoms, themself and each other, confident and powerful. I totally recommend it.

Just like with book one, Bound by Firelight is a fun fantasy novel. I love how the author expands upon the color magic in this book, giving it more depth and making it even more epic than before. Seriously, it’s so freaking cool!

I appreciate that the plot of this book follows heavily on the fallout from the events in book one and that the author doesn’t shy away from putting her characters in even more dangerous situations. The stakes are definitely higher in this one and there are more layers to the threats the characters face.

I also adored the character team ups, both new and old characters, and all the banter and fun that came with it. The character growth is also so well written and impactful, and it really worked with how this duology ends.

While I was expecting the book to be a little longer or to maybe flow into a third book, I’m happy with the way things wrapped up. It was a little rushed toward the end, but overall, it works for the story.

Highly recommend for fans of the first book and those looking for a solid YA fantasy read.

Bound By Firelight by Dana Swift
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Bound by Firelight is the sequel to Cast in Firelight. Adraa and Jatin deal with the fallout of how Cast in Firelight ended. There were unexpected things that happened in this book that surprised me and made me get very anxious!! 😅😅😅 But I kind of loved what happened here. And one of the characters that was introduced is hearing impaired and I just want to be her friend because she is so cool and awesome!
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I’m not sure I can say much else without spoilers, so just read both books please! The magic system in this series continues to be great. And even though this book wrapped up well in the end, I wish that the author would write more in this world. There is so much more to explore I think.
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4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I think I liked this one MORE than Cast? Possibly? I’ll need to reread them back to back later on to make sure of that. Thank you Natgalley and Delacorte Press for my digital copy to read. Pub Date 1/18/22.

~ Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Children's/Delacorte Press for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review! RELEASE DATE: January 18, 2022 ~

'I will not beg.' His grip slips.

'At least I didn't take away that choice.'

This book was really fun. It's super fast-paced, much like the first, and I really loved the new setting in this installment. The book starts out with Adraa's trial going awry, and immediately she is sent to prison. The Dome was such an epic location and it somehow really reminded me of what I loved about Divergent?? Yeah, I was surprised too lol.

I will say I liked the first slightly more than this one, maybe just because I was surprised to enjoy it so thoroughly while with this one I was going in with good expectations. It also might be that I didn't love the romance in this one as much, I think mainly because it took such a back seat until the ending that I was just bombarded with it all then and was like.... let's bring it down a notch, you're literally in the middle of a battle of war.

Much like the first in this series though, I was really shook by some of those plot twists!!! The one at the midway point was incredibly unique, and I've never read anything quite like it. And while the ending didn't particularly shake me the way the midpoint did, some of the emotional elements did really hit me 🥲

All in all, this was a really fun sequel and I'd be down to read a third if this does get expanded into a trilogy!

🎄merry & bright readathon 🎄
book one- bound in firelight